The Earth Grown Falafel E. coli O121 outbreak has ended with 24 sick in six states, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). That is an increase of four patients since the last update on October 7, 2022.
The case count per state is: Florida (2), Iowa (2), Kansas (1), Michigan (13), Ohio (1), and Wisconsin (5). The patient age range is from under the age of one to 77 years, and illness onset date ranged from July 13, 2022 to October 24, 2022. One person developed hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS), a type of kidney failure.
Officials interviewed patients about the foods they ate before they got sick. Of the 18 people interviewed, 15, or 83%, said they shopped at Aldi stores. Among those shoppers, 14 ate Earth Grown frozen falafel the week before they got sick. In addition, The Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development collected that product from a sick persons’s home. Whole genome sequencing conducted on the falafel found E. coli that was closely related to bacteria from patients, which means those patients likely got sick from eating that falafel.
Frozen Earth Grown Vegan Traditional Falafel and Garlic & Herb Falafel were recalled after the outbreak was discovered. This product was sold at Aldi stores. The boxes of recalled product have any of these lot numbers: 1472, 1481, 1531, 1532, 1541, 1552, 1561, 1581, 1601, 1611, 1612, 1661, 1682, 1732, 1752, 1762, 1782, 1802, or 1812.
If you ate this falafel and have been sick with the symptoms of an E. coli infection, see your doctor. You may be part of this Earth Grown falafel E. coli O121 outbreak.
If you have been sickened with an E. coli O121 infection after eating Earth Grown falafel, please contact our experienced attorneys for help with a possible lawsuit at 1-888-377-8900 or text us at 612-261-0856. Our firm represents clients in lawsuits against grocery stores, restaurants, and food processors.
